You know, it was incredible how chitinous clicking and low, wet hisses could sound so ominous.

Though that might have been more due to the fact that I was currently deep underground.

As it was, it didn't take long before my prey turned up.

Ironically, they hadn't been all that far away actually. If I was interested in catching them before they even realised what was going on, I would have most likely stumbled upon their resting forms in less than twenty seconds.

"Char!" Charmeleon snarled threateningly at the prehistoric beasts that emerged from the darkness into the light provided by his tail and the embers left over from his attack, burning across the ground despite their not being anything to fuel them.

That was the power of Blast Burn.

They were a bit of a ragtag group. Two Kabutops bearing their scythe like arms towards us, twin Kabuto with gleaming golden pincers poised to tear into soft flesh and a pair of Omanyte and Omastar that while much less threatening, were all the more scary looking with their writhing tentacles.

Well not so much the Omanyte, they're kinda cute.

But the bloodshot glares they shot our way for waking them up would have definitely terrified me only a few short weeks ago.

It was hard to find them quite as threatening as I would have though, when I'd previously stared down and overcome the gaping maw of a Gyarados poised to swallow me whole.

"Kabu!" one of the Kabutops snarled and rushed forward, anger and impatience getting the better of it.

It spread its scythe bladed arms outwards and dashed rapidly, its streamlined body literally scything through the air.

It was fast.

Not faster than Charmeleon though.

White energy erupted from the fire types feet and he launched himself at the ancient rock and water type.

Electricity crackled into existence around one scaled fist and Kabutops winged its scythe arms inwardly, gleaming white energy surrounding them and attempting to scissor Charmeleon.

But, it wasn't quick enough.

Charmeleon's thunder punch slammed into Kabutops face and lit its body up with crackling lightning.

The Kabutops snarled as it was launched bodily backwards, but did not fall. Its feet grinded against the ground as it kept itself upright, even though it was knocked back over ten feet.

It shook its head and levelled another bloodshot glare at Charmeleon, no worse for wear despite taking Charmeleon's super effective thunder punch attack.

'Tch!' I clicked my tongue. Just as I expected huh? These things even shook off Pikachu's thunderbolt in canon after all.

Either way, that seemed to be the signal that triggered the other seven ancient pokemon into action.

The other Kabutops rushed forward to join the first, the Kabuto following it. At the same time, the gathering of four Omanyte and Omastar chittered ominously and as one spat four large gouts of pressurized water blasts.

Alright, if that's how you want to play it!

My hand went to my belt, at the same time Charmeleon took a deep breath and roared, spitting out a tornado of fire that churned rapidly.

Fire Spin wasn't as compressed and powerful as Flamethrower, but it was quite a bit larger and worked to shield Charmeleon from the four water attacks briefly.

Steam emitted from the clash, but it didn't stop the Kabutops and Kabuto from continuing their charge.

I grabbed two pokeballs while Charmeleon bared his teeth at the ancient pokemon rushing him and shot forward to meet them-

An ear shaking, bone quivering roar erupted and echoed through the caverns stopping both me and the ancient pokemon in our tracks.

My eyes widened, 'Aerodactyl!?' I realised.

If I remembered right…

My eyes drifted to the ancient pokemon to see them frozen from the sound of the roar. They'd all turned away, stopping giving their attention to me and my pokemon at all.

A stupid move, but I literally see the terror in their eyes. They're scared shitless by Aerodactyl.

Charmeleon was not at all perturbed though.

The fire type did not stop in his charge at all, in fact, he sped up. His claws shone silver and he drove a pair of metal claws straight down into the back of the first kabutops' legs.

A hiss of pain and surprise left its mouth, But Charmeleon wasn't done. The silver light faded away, being replaced by sparkling lightning once more and Charmeleon drove an electrified uppercut straight up into Kabutops' chin and launched it straight up into the air.

And yet, Charmeleon was still not done.

Before Kabutops' even reached the apex of its sudden thunder punch assisted impromptu flight, Charmeleon launched into the air after it with a powerful quick attack enhanced leap.

Silver light erupted around one of Charmeleon's claws once more as he caught the Kabutops' by the throat and began to rapidly rotate and drag it back down with Seismic Toss.

And then slammed it bodily into the ground with all his strength. The impact was so powerful the ground shook beneath my feet.

…And then Charmeleon promptly opened his mouth while keeping the Kabutops' pinned underneath him and bathed it in a great gout of flame.

I stared gobsmacked.

'That wasn't the plan at all.' I thought blankly. I'd specifically told Charmeleon that he would play support and keep them busy because he wouldn't be able to bring them down himself while I let out Bellossom and Victreebel to paralyze and poison them. Then I'd let everyone out to bombard them and bring them down with a mass barrage of attacks, 'Did…he take offense to me saying he couldn't take them down?'

Either way, I was not the only one to gape at the aftermath of Charmeleon's sudden assault, even the other awoken ancient pokemon whipped around to stare at the sudden attack.

But the indecision was plain to see on their faces.

Attack and get revenge for one of their own…or stay and face Aerodactyl?

The indecision cost them.

And me.

The sound of wings beating, akin to Pidgeot's own, yet heavier rang through the air and them blazing purple and gold lit up the cave.

A missile of purple energy with a corona of gold circling it shot forth from the darkness and tore through the gathered fossil pokemon before they could react, sending them flying from the force of it and tearing straight on towards Charmeleon who stood atop one downed and beaten Kabutops.

"Giga Impact!" I recognised it instantly.

It was pretty iconic after all.

"Meleon!" Charmeleon snarled and whipped around to face the rapidly approaching aura clad Aerodactyl.

And instead of dodging, launched himself forward to meet it head on. The size difference was akin to a child standing before a ten foot raging wave from the ocean.

But Charmeleon was not deterred. A blazing hot orange aura exploded into existence around his fist and he met the Giga Impact head on-

With Blast Burn.

A thunderous impact and raging explosion erupted from the clash, heat washed over my skin and I instinctively brought my hands up, clasping the pokeballs of Bellossom and Victreebel to shield my face.

I was blown ass over tea kettle and slammed into the ground with a groan. All I could see was bright orange as I looked up, a veritable wave of heat.

Before it was torn asunder a second later and Charmeleon came into view. His arm clasped in the great rocky jaws of an huge draconic stone head as Aerodactyl carried him up into the air.

Charmeleon lost the clash.

Stunned as I was, I could only watch as Aerodactyl took him high into the air and rammed him bodily into and through a stalagmite, before shaking its head like a crocodile and whipping its head around and letting go, tossing Charmeleon to the ground.

He landed a few feet away from me, smashing into the ground hard.

"C-Charmeleon!" I tried to cry in shock and worry, only for the left over heat to invade my throat a bit and make me cough.

I pulled myself to my feet to make my way over to him, but by time I did, Charmeleon was pushing himself up on shaky legs, one fist punched into the ground and glaring up at Aerodactyl with heated eyes, scales a mess of bruising and blood.

The Aerodactyl chose that moment to look down and I swear, it smirked arrogantly down at us, or more precisely, Charmeleon.

"Char!" Charmeleon snarled and spat out a great gout of flame up towards it with a Flamethrower attack.

But with the distance, Aerodactyl easily glided to the side and evaded it.

Aerodactyl landed on one large rock pillar and smirked down at us once again.

Then stuck its tongue out goadingly, mockingly at Charmeleon.

You know, for an ancient pokemon that was just awoken, it sure was a lot less angry than I was expecting.

Actually, now that I look closer, its eyes are much clearer than the other ancient pokemon. Not at all bloodshot.

It kind of looked like it was having a good time taking the piss out of Charmeleon.

I placed my hand on Charmeleon's shoulder, "Calm down buddy," I told him, "Don't let it get in your head. It's fresh and you're not. Just because it got the better of you in one clash doesn't mean you're weaker. You've been working hard all day remember? And you just shot off a bunch of attacks before it showed up."

Charmeleon grimaced at my words, but, he gave a tight nod of understanding. Even if he did shoot another glare up at the Aerodactyl.

"Besides, I promised Dragonite I'd let him fight it, remember?" I pointed out.

Charmeleon blinked and then had the decency to look away guilty, "Char..meleon…" he nodded in acceptance.

"Aero…?" Aerodactly called down, giving us a bored look.

I ignored it.

I released the two pokemon from the pokeballs in my hand, Bellossom and Victreebel appearing at my sides ready for action.

Aerodactyl snorted derisively.

"They're not for you big guy." I snorted back at him...her…it? And it was a big guy. I can only estimate right now since I can't measure it fully yet, but it was larger than Pidgeot.

Which was quite the feat considering how big my try hard birb has gotten lately.

I replaced the two pokeballs in my hands with another, Dragonites.

And left him out.

With a booming, proud roar Dragonite appeared in a flash of light and smirked arrogantly up at Aerodactyl.

Aerodactyl sized Dragonite up and down, taking in his size…before turning away and snorting…derisively.

Again.

Dragonite's eyes lit up with rage.

"…Go get em'." I told my pseudo legendary simply.

Dragonite did just that. Wings rapidly beating and with an angry snarl on his lips, Dragonite shot up rapidly through the air like a bullet towards Aerodactyl.

Dragonite reached Aerodactyl only a split few moments later, fists erupting into electricity like Charmeleon before him.

And promptly got slapped out of the air by Aerodactyl's wing before he could even land the blow as the ancient flying type suddenly whipped back around and knocked out of the air and through a few stalagmites.

He hit the ground hard, just like Charmeleon did.

I sighed.

Aerodactyl chortled in pure amusement at the indent Dragonite made as he landed.

This thing…I can't get a bead on it. Does it just like lording its strength over others, or is it an utter troll?

Or going by its reaction to Bellosssom and Victreebel, did it want a challenge? Or does it just think so lowly of them that they weren't even worth its time?

I didn't have much time to think on it as Dragonite tore out of the crater he'd formed with his body and shot back up towards Aerodactyl, murder in his eyes and a trio of icy blue jagged beams erupting from his mouth up towards it.

In reply, Aerodactyl casually spat out a great gout of flame that could give Charmeleon's a run for its money that met the Ice Beam head on…and overpowered it.

The flamethrower washed over Dragonite, but he just charged through it towards Aerodactyl even as he got baked by the fire attack.

Aerodactyl took to the air and dodged a second later as Dragonite tore through its previous spot with fists that were crackling with the power of thunder once more.

While Dragonite kept Aerodactyl busy, I decided to take the chance to finish up with the other ancient pokemon before they could reorient themselves and escape.

They were scattered and cowering throughout the huge room, and I could see one of the Omastar inching towards the deeper area of the cavern, followed promptly by the others.

Barring the single still standing Kabutops that was looking between its escaping companions and the downed Kabutops at my feet.

Man what the fuck did that Aerodactyl do to them? Did it kick the shit out of them for amusement or something?

Either way, as Dragonite chased after Aerodactyl spitting Ice Beam's and Flamethrower's which were easily avoided, I thrust my hands out, "Spread Stun Spore!" I ordered, even as I retrieved an empty pokeball from my pocket and touched it to the downed Kabutops.

Bellossom and Victreebel leapt into action the moment the Kabutops was sucked up like a noodle into my pokeball.

The same action instigating the other Kabutops into action. Its bloodshot eyes narrowed with fury and with a snarl, it rushed towards me.

Bellossom and Victreebel unleashed twin clouds of glittering orange spores that blanketed the over side of the cavern and rained down.

It was shot so high into the air though to reach there, it left an opening for the Kabutops to slip under and continue its rushing assault as the pokeball shook lightly in my hand.

The pokeball in my hand pinged and stopped shaking.

Kabutops was captured and Kabutops launched itself through the air towards me, twin scythes exploding with shiny white power.

A slash attack.

A twin slash attack actually.

It could probably cleave me in twain with little effort, especially since Bellossom and Victreebel were a mite occupied with spreading their stun spores to incapacitate the others trying to retreat.

It never reached me.

An electricity clad fist smashed into Kabutops' face before it even got within ten feet of me, Charmeleon launching himself up and over my head with another Quick Attack enhanced leap and driving a Thunder Punch straight into its face.

With it in the air and having no purchase to bleed off the force like the other one had before, the Kabutops was launched backwards through the air.

Directly into the centre of the raining clouds of glittering orange spores in fact.

It crashed into the ground hard and almost immediately, its limbs began to lock up and freeze as it was paralyzed by the merged cloud of dual Stun Spores.

And it wasn't the only one. With their backs turned, the other ancient and awakened pokemon were like fish in a barrel.

This would be a whole other ball game if they weren't scared of Aerodactyl and trying to flee.

As a wise man once said.

Never turn your back on the enemy! I don't know who said actually, but I'm assuming since it was common sense some wise guy said it before.

Either way, now was the time to strike. The initial paralysis would only last a few seconds.

"Take them down guys!" I declared as Charmeleon hopped back to stand beside me, "Razor Leaf and Flamethrower, hit them all nice and quick!"

"Char!"

"Qwreeeee!"

"Bell!"

My three pokemon gave a trio of cries of affirmation and attacked. Charmeleon inahled deeply, chest expanding as red hot flames licked at his lips, while Victreebel cocked his leafy arms back and Bellossom leapt into the air and began to spin rapidly.

A great gout of flame once again made its existing and lit up the cavern brightly as Charmeleon unleashed his Flamethrower straight towards the downed Kabutops, bathing it in the red hot wave of flame.

Kabutops' was roasted by the flame, before Charmeleon redirected his attack and dragged it across the room, washing over stalagmite and ancient pokemon alike.

While dozens upon dozens of razor sharp leaves followed in its wake, tearing into the downed pokemon after they were roasted by Charmeleon.

Old and strong as the ancient pokemon were, there was only so much they could withstand under Charmeleon's intense flames and dual four times effective grass attacks.

And so, they were easy pickings for me to quickly rush over and one by one tap an empty pokeball each to.

And paralysed and beaten badly by the barrage of attacks….especially after taking Aerodactyl's Giga impact from behind and being bowled over like a truck over pebbles-

Suffice to say, they didn't put up much resistance to the pokeballs.

When I was done, I turned my attention to my pokemon who had been on guard just in case one of the ancient pokemon managed to throw up a last ditch effort.

Bellossom and Victreebel were fine, practically vibrating in place awaiting my praise for them.

Charmeleon on the other hand?

Immediately slumped to his backside, arms and legs limp and panting deeply in exhaustion.

I don't blame him. First he dug up all those Leaf Stones for me, then dug the way down into this cavern. The Blast Burn to draw attention to us, then were the series of attacks he unleashed against the first Kabutops I captured…then that brief battle with Aerodactyl and now this.

"Good work guys, you were brilliant," I praised them, crouching down to rub Charmeleon's horn fondly, "Especially you buddy, you went above and beyond."

Despite his exhaustion, Charmeleon gave me a tired, toothy grin and his chest puffed out with pride.

He had stamina for days.

Well most of my pokemon did, but this just showed me just how much stamina they were packing. I wasn't sure how to increase power much as far as training went, all I did know was how to train them physically to the limit with the gravity training, how to let them get experience when battling each other and getting them used to constantly using up their energy by having them user their attacks as much as possible after physical training.

Perhaps not the best training routine and could hardly count for everything, but what for what I knew how to target…this just proved it was working wonders.

…Well, not that everything on my journey so far hadn't proved it. But it's still nice to see.

The attention I was giving Charmeleon, made the other two jealous and they sidled up to my sides, trying to get my attention.

The pout Bellossom was giving me could melt glaciers.

"Alright, alright." I laughed, reaching over to give them a set of fond pats as well, but just as my hands made contact, there was a thunderous boom from above.

My head whipped up on instinct to see Dragonite smashing through a series of stalagmites while the Aerodactyl that was actually quite a bit bigger than Dragonite held one wing out as if it had just slapped him aside again.

A casual, arrogant dispatching it looked it.

That wasn't fully the truth though. From where I am, I can see Aerodactyl hadn't gotten out completely unscathed and could see some scuff marks across its rocky grey scales.

Dragonite though, was much worse for wear. Yet, that didn't stop the overly prideful runt as he flipped through the air and spread his wings to stop himself mid-air.

Dragonite grinned savagely.

And shot towards Aerodactyl.

The larger rock and flying type swerved around the dragon and flying type, coming around from behind, one wing glowing and striking him from behind.

It was only a glancing blow as Dragonite turned and spat out an Ice Beam, but Aerodactyl, spun underneath it and lashed out again with its other wing, striking Dragonite with another Wing Attack.

Dragonite snarled and turned to face it, but Aerodactyl had already swerved with a powerful beat of its wings and got behind Dragonite again.

And struck with another Wing Attack.

It was like a game of cat and mouse. Aerodactyl shot in rapidly, smashing Dragonite with a glancing blow before getting out of the way quickly as Dragonite attacked wildly and striking from the other side.

Dragonite just couldn't keep up.

Yes, it was exactly like a game of cat and mouse.

Only the mouse was twice the size of the cat.

While Aerodactyl wasn't so strong it could brush off Dragonite's attacks. It was still that much stronger that it seemed like it was almost playing with Dragonite.

And eventually, playing the same game over and over?

It got boring.

And that boredom was reached quite quickly as on the next exchange, instead of giving Dragonite a glancing blow with its Wing Attack once more.

Aerodactyl came in from above and behind Dragonite, driving its taloned feet into Dragonite's shoulders and driving him down.

With its height and quite possibly weight advantage over Dragonite and being physically stronger, Dragonite was could only struggle in vain as he was forced down out of the air and smashed into and through the ground with ground cratering force.

Drove into the ground and body limp, Aerodactyl roosted atop my defeated Dragonite.

The huge rock and flying type seemed to have completely forgotten about me and my other pokemon as it casually inspected Dragonite's limp form beneath it.

Or was it…that it had completely written us off?

Idiot.

"Razor Leaf." I commanded simply.

Aerodactyl squawked in surprise and pain as a duo of razor sharp leaf barrages tore into its side and threw it off Dragonite.

To its credit, while it took damage, it was more surprised than anything…and then affronted as it looked over to us and saw just who had done the damage to it.

"Aeroda-" it spread its wings and began to roar, only to be cut off as Charmeleon pushed himself up despite his exhaustion and spat out another Flamethrower.

One of its wings glowed and with a huff, Aerodactyl backhanded the flames almost contemptuously.

Its eyes widened though as the flames were not dispersed by its heavy blow and instead increased in size as Charmeleon snarled and put more energy into it.

With a roar, Aerodactyl's other wing erupted into white light and it brought both into a cross guard, before spreading them with a mighty push and dispersed the flames, leaving naught but glittering embers raining down through the air.

It gave Charmeleon a heated stare.

Only to get an electrified uppercut to the jaw as Dragonite shot up from the crater he was laying limp in just a moment before, beaten, bruised and bloodied and with a savage snarling grin on his face.

Dragonite immediately hopped on Aerodactyl's front as the ancient flying type landed on its back in surprise from the blow.

And immediately began raining down a heavy and wild barrage of Thunder Punch's across the ancient beasts face and torso.

The thug style was a form of combat that was taught as a mandatory lesson to all my pokemon now after all.

I'd decided to make it an introductory lesson actually. Dragonite to no nobodies surprise took to it like a Scotsman to whiskey.

The barrage of Thunder Punch's were unleashed so rapidly I couldn't even count how many landed.

Though it only lasted for around five or six seconds at most before Aerodactyl roared in rage and pitch black energy that seemed to suck in all light around us formed in its face a split second.

Dragonite didn't back down and continued punching even as Aerodactyl fired off a pitch black Hyper Beam at point blank range.

The wide and powerful black beam slammed into Dragonite's body and bodily lifted him up, carrying him up high into the air even as it washed over his form and done massive amounts of damage.

When the beam died down, it revealed Dragonite limp and falling through the air towards the ground.

He was done.

My hand whipped out, his pokeball in hand at the same time Aerodactyl shot up to its feet and beat its huge wings and launched itself into the air after the downed Dragonite, fury in its eyes.

"Return!" I shouted needlessly, returning Dragonite to his pokeball and allowing Aerodactyl to spear straight through thin air.

It looked confused for all of a second…before whipping around to face me, turning its fury filled eyes on me.

But like I said before, never take your eyes off the enemy.

Those fury filled eyes widened in shock and quite a bit of horror as it found Charmeleon in its face, having launched himself through the air with another Quick Attack enhanced leap.

Charmeleon's forearm crashed into Aerodactyl's throat, cutting off its next roar and exchanging it for a choked splutter.

Stunned, it couldn't do anything as Charmeleon wrapped his other arm around its throat as well and began to spin.

It was a sight to see. Aerodactyl dwarfed Charmeleon five times over…and yet he was easily ragdolling its massive winged frame through the air.

And once he'd picked up enough momentum, Charmeleon transferred it all into a powerful throw with his Seismic Toss attack and slammed Aerodactyl into the ground.

This time it was Aerodactyl's turn to be buried in a crater in the ground.

A massive explosion of heat erupted from the point of contact and I was forced to look away from a wince.

'….I wonder if it's wrong of me to be proud of that?' I couldn't fight the grin that forced its way onto my face.

Hilda would probably scold me for how savage my pokemon were when left to their own devices.

But I liked it personally.

It took a while for the wave of flame and heat that erupted from the attack to die down and honestly, I'm gonna need to moisturize after this, my skin will be so god damn dry from all this heat.

Still, when it did, it was to reveal the extra crispy and limp form of Aerodactyl, unable to continue finding.

With Charmeleon sitting proudly atop its chest, basking in his victory and gasping raggedly for breath.

He rose one clawed hand up….and gave me a shaky thumbs up.

I couldn't help but laugh, shooting him one back.

And then his body exploded.

…With bright white light that was. And his body began to grow and change before my eyes.

My breath caught in my throat and excitement ran rampant in my veins so thoroughly my limbs got shaky.